Powering Commercial Aircraft: The Next Logical Step in Vehicle Electrification [Viewpoint]

Reports on programs that have demonstrated the feasibility of electric propulsion for commercial aircraft. power by wire has electrified certain pneumatic and hydraulic loads. This investment is, in turn, driving the rapid development of key component technologies. Several programs in recent years have demonstrated the baseline technical feasibility of electric propulsion for aircraft. The superior switching capabilities will also result in lower EMI signatures and smaller filters. The battery energy densities needed are not much greater than the 300 W/kg available from lithiumion cells today. Electrified propulsion opens the door to a new era of aviation, likely to rival the 70-year transformation of global travel enabled by gas turbines.